


Concerning Knives

by evonde



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen, i can't put character names in because that would spoil it, i'd love it if you guys could guess who each excerpt was written by though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-27 05:27:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evonde/pseuds/evonde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Notice: This is a journal provided to the whole of the Scouting Legion. Write your experiences and respond to that of others. If you remove this from the dining hall, return it as promptly as time allows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notice: This is a journal provided to the whole of the Scouting Legion. Write your experiences and respond to that of others. If you remove this from the dining hall, return it as promptly as time allows.**

-=-

_This first excerpt’s handwriting is spidery in nature but with little flair._

Along with capes bearing the honored blue and white wings of the Scouting Legion, new members are also presented with a ceremonial knife. The knife isn’t meant to kill titans, but it's prudent to be able to defend yourself in any case of attack. More of a tradition from the early days when we didn't have the actual means to kill titans and held any weapon we could for defense. It's a burden to carry around with our 3DMG, similar in length to the average forearm. The hilt is wide so you can’t just stick it in your boot and not unintentionally cut yourself.

You must consider: veterans of the Scouting Legion don’t have much in the way of amusement. Our dead colleagues are often on our minds. Our own death is imminent and we have learned to face the fact that we were going to die in the hands of a titan. Acceptance is how you survive. If you look in the face of death and do not back down, then you are ready to give it your all in the field. Do not hesitate. Follow your orders. Have a healthy amount of caution but do not balk at death. That being said, it's always quite interesting to watch the thought process of each recruit as they learn that there isn't a part of their uniform that gives room for their knife. 

_The scrawl of the following is immaculate and very small._

Trainees are idiots. They don't know where to put the damned knives so they stick it somewhere where’ll they be bleeding through their pants. Some are smarter than others. Putting it in the leather straps, for example, hilt up towards their abdomen. 

Blade-down in one of the leather straps tight around their legs was popular for the 104th. One of the new trainees from this year in particular was trying to be cute. He put the damned thing somewhere else. He was walking around sprouting what looked like the biggest fucking boner and was proud as hell of it. He actually came up to our table and drooled at one of my colleagues. I had a hard time keeping down my drink when she said, “Is that a knife in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?” 

It was a knife. And I am told that later he did end up getting a fucking hard-on and had to go to the medical room. 

_The following script is loopy and quite large. Parts of the page are dotted with dark, dried water-spots._

When trainees use their 3DMG, it’s always fun to see their styles. Each one is different, you know? Some are jerky, some smooth. Some rely more on their gas, some on their muscles. It’s like poetry. You don’t know which one will be the best at any given activity because it’s impossible to get into their minds to see what they’re going to do next. I love it when I can see which ones will be the ones that become veterans. The ones who do well. I get better at predicting as time goes on. But then I think: is that really such a good thing? To be able to predict which ones will die and which ones will not?

I hope they all live, certainly. I want to see them all return to their families. But sometimes I wish some would have not become part of the scouting legion. We’re such a family. Why join us if you’re not capable? Why make us laugh and then in the next moment make us cry?

Why join our family if you know you’re going to die?

_This handwriting is neat but a bit smudged in places._

We join for this: this journal, this camaraderie, this mutual trust. Some of us know we’re going to die but those of us who join the legion have our own reasons. Not everyone joins the military to have a good life and drink and talk about all the accomplishments we haven’t achieved. I don’t want to just live, but I want to live doing something that matters. This doesn’t make me stupid or reckless. And this sure as hell doesn't mean I have a death wish. 

I want to make up for all the things that the lazy shits inside the walls won't do. I don’t intend to die. I intend to give it my all in the fight against titans so maybe the kids of the next generation of trainees don’t have to shoulder all of the stress and pain and regret that we have to.

Also, fuck you. I thought it was a great idea. Maybe I could have intimidated the titans with my impressive manhood.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating now mostly because I needed a laugh after that last episode. Thank you so much to the kind people who commented! <3 I'm glad you're enjoying it. Each of your guesses were very well-thought out but I'm not going to be giving anything away now because the people who wrote before may show up again. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide who is writing each excerpt, even though I as the author know who's writing haha.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! nvn

_The following handwriting is messy and horrible-looking._

I hope I'm doing this right! So we're not supposed to put our names? No one else did so I won't. Sorry about my handwriting I hurt my hand earlier today so it's going to look pretty bad. 

But speaking of manhoods, or the lack of them, do any of you ever just stop to ponder the extremely stupid look of the titans? Consider for a minute. Their legs can be really long and their arms really short and their shoulders really broad and sometimes the mixture of all of these combined makes them look ridiculous. And the way they move! It's really creepy and I feel really bad for wanting to laugh when I see one because they're the enemy but if you just stop and actually look at one it just occurs you that we're fighting a bunch of man-eating ballerinas.

Have any of you gotten that strange feeling, though, when you see one? Almost like they look familiar, but you can't place exactly where you've seen them before. It's not like I've made friends with many titans. Well, there's Eren, but. You know, the ones who eat people. There was this one that looked a lot like someone I used to know? And I still don't know what happened to that person I used to know? I'm not really sure what to think and though this titan looked a lot like others I couldn't laugh. 

_This script is in a flowing, lazily connected cursive._

Why, that's the most ignorant thing I've ever heard. Titans may be strange, but they're not stupid-looking at all. They each have their own quirks and strange differences, but that sets them apart from each other! It's fascinating to see how exactly they differ and what that means to their movement. Outward appearance doesn't matter as much, if you think of it… 

The body mass of the titan becomes lighter once they are killed. You could pick up the arm of a dead 7-meter class titan and it barely weighs a thing! They respond to sunlight, and thrive in it. Don't you ever wonder about where they come from, how they become the way they are? Even how they can stand up and support themselves. What is inside? What makes up their bodies? Why they want to kill so viciously? What makes titans smile? 

Why are there aberrant titans to begin with? I have done some studies, and have some theories. I myself have never recognized a titan that I haven't introduced myself to, so I don't think I can relate to you. However, I would love to speak with you further on the topic! If you'd like to discuss it further, we could meet in the library at 17:00 tomorrow or the day after that! I look forward to hearing more about your exploits and your findings. 

_This excerpt is scribbled in the margins of the page. There is a small arrow pointing from it to the previous one._

Don't do it. You'll never be able to leave. Stay anonymous. _Save yourself._

_This is written in small, pretty scripted print. The j's and y's have exaggerated hooks and the script appears a bit separated as if the writer is accustomed to cursive._

I can't believe this. I was told about this journal but I didn't think it would be as funny as this. I want to know who some of you are! That wouldn't make the anonymous game very fun anymore, but still. I don't know who to call you each to separate you from other entries. 

To the first entry of them all. I didn't know this was some sort of game to the veterans of the legion. I just thought it was a test to see if we could come up with a good place. I'm glad some of you got a good laugh in. Why don't people just stick the knife in their belt like I do? There's no sheath, but the leather is very tough and if you serrate it carefully it's a wonderful place to store it. And it won't cut you because of the dark bolt of cloth on our uniforms that secure the 3DMG. 

I hope those with me of the 104th can use this in the future. I don't want anyone to experience any pain. If you do, I'll approach you and will be more than glad to take you to the nurse and show you where I put my knife. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

_The following is written in average writing, a bit bold but easy to read._

If some idiot is stupid enough to put a knife near their groin, I'll let them. Personally? I'd have been more impressed if he jabbed the damn knife into it and saved us all the pain of having to hear him yell about how built he is. 

What is wrong with the people in this legion, anyway? You all are so fucking weird. Just walking around thinking of titan weight and the way they smile. That’s not normal. But hear me out, because this is:

Alright, so one day, me and a friend were sitting in the dining hall. I remember Braus walking out of the kitchen just as the commander was walking in, and I fucking SWEAR that he didn't see what she was carrying because he looked as if he had a vendetta against that kitchen door. I think Braus pissed herself, honestly. Wouldn't blame her. 

I thought it was the funniest thing because Braus was so scared in that one minute that she made this inhuman screech and the commander just banged his head into the kitchen door. I don't even know what he wanted in there. But whatever it was I'm so glad I was in the dining hall because both of them were just so confused and it was a clusterfuck of 'what the hell'.

What is up with this legion? Why are you all so damn _weird_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any ideas or character requests for stories, give 'em to me! This is just a story I'm writing by the seat of my pants and anything can happen.


End file.
